Prefabricated folding building



April 15, 1952 G. M. SHUMAKR PREF'ABRICATED FOLDING BUILDNG Filed June 24, 1947 April 15, 1952 G. M. SHUMAKER 2,592,610

PRSFABRICATED FOLDING BUILDING Filed June 24, 71947' 600m? M .Ml/Mmm? Patented Apr. 15, 1952 l sfrArE s PAT ENT oFF ic PREFABRIGATED. FOLDINGHBUILDING t Grover MLSlumaker, Euclid; Ohio Applicationune-ZQ 1947,4 Serial No. `"156,536 (Ghisa-2.)

m iiClaims.. l

This zinvention relates tota`A preabricated:` foldbuildings; construction which: may be ma-nufac. tured ratwaffactory; and assembled: in", situ.w

A'rprimaryf; obj ect-1 of theinvention:isctlie;rprofl vision of an improved'folding-buildinggcharacterized by means whereby a variety off-building designsV may be readily 1 adapted Lto:` fac-ing unit constructions:` t t AnA additional object-- of t the s invention :is: the` provision of such: a structure; characterized by: means 1 facilitating 'c` assembly f and. erectiorrrat;A a

desired site:

A furthery object of `I the iin'ventionis the? prei-lvision of r such adevice `comprised':citarpluralityt.

of :1 units 1 which rnayt` be l foldedcintou a` relativelycompact position forshippingxorathe like. t

Still another :z obiectbfthe.:` invention u, is :1 the provision t of:` such' a construction, including a;

plurality oifl'sections, `wl'iichpmay b'ezreadily` con@` nected and? assembled: irl-L1 a .varietynof shapes` asa.

may.: beV desired.; 1

side walls. t

Stil-llother objects residel in f thel combination of 'elemen-tsf l arrangements i of `parts; i and featuresl oiconstructiom all aswill be-morefully;pointedA out hereinafter and Ashown fin .l theV =aocompanyix-ig-` drawings,A wherein thereiis-i disclosed L a. :preferredr embodiment; ofthisxinventive concept: l

Inxth'e; 1 drawings Figure `1 ist-:amendelevational viewzaofr ampairiY oir-assembledAunits.'zforrningra .buildingtconstruce tion;

l Figure.: `2 `iszan-pend elevationaltviewr; ofione.- of the units f ofaFigure l shown inufoldedrposition.. Figurev Bris; an 'en-dr elevational viewfor;onecoi;V

theh units in :the: coursesof erection4 i Figure `i isa fragmentary sectionallviewz-onxanenlarged scale disclosingrtlie connectiongof .anoon unit to; fonef ofiA ther, supporting posts.A

Figure. 5,1 is.y a. fragmentary detail uview showing in sideelevation. and ,with parts.- broken;away-` totV show internal construction, thelower plortionzfof` a@ sectiom andlits relation vto,` an: adjoining;vv section.

` Figure 6 is a.fragmentaryvdetail,ViewJshowingl; theyconnection of al rafterv to` a supporting postw Figure.. 7' is.. a, fragmentary? perspectivey view-l.

disclosing the hinge construction of ,Figure f4;

Figure Sis a,tfragznentary,` elevationaltview. of,

theyconnectiom off; adjacent rafters sections;4 i

Figure 9 is a fragmentary View disclosingkthe,

connection-of associated floor sections;V

Figure 10` is a` side elevational view; .partially` ing: section, of a modified-form of theinvention showing the ,connections of a plurality; of, units into the assembly of a building` p p p Figure 11 isa fragmentary sectional view; showinglmeans of connectingtop sections of the'device:

irl-the form shownlin Figure l0;` Y v Figure l2` is: `a fragmentaryyside elevational` View. showing ,the Vassociation andzadjustment Iof i p OSts. andgroofI rafters with the supporting trusses :of the device. f

Figures 13, n14:` and 15 are; elevational views disclosing-modified formsof center lroof sections.

Similar reference. characters; refer to similar:

partsthroughout the several views of the drawings'z curedto the uprights 2|. t

Referring rst .to theuprights 2l; it

alignment, connected by suitable transversefbrace mem-bers 25,` reinforcement platesfZS also being provided, to form sections oftA a predetermined.

desired' width. Each upright is providedfatvits upper extremity with ani-aperture, through which is adapted to be passedza bolt 2l-ar1d a nut; 28, engaginginsuitable aligned apertures in rafter., sections 22o, which are also comprisedotangleirons, each rafter being provided with an oiisettongue 29 aperturedto Vreceive thebolt 2,1'.. It will be readily seen that the angle of rafters;

22.1'elative to the uprights2lmay be variedas desired in accordance with the, configuration of.

tlie roof of the. device.

Referring now tothe braces 23 for rafters ,22,` it.` will' be seen .that each` ist` comprised of two.

separate sections 3B and 3i, the section 30Ybe-A ings connected, as byY atbolt 32, in a suitableselected one of a plurality of apertures `331inits;

associated upright 2l. Theropposite sectiontl is pivotally connected, as Vby a pivot 34, V-totthe extremity of rafter 22, and each seotionisfprohvided with a plurality of spaced alignedbolt Aholes 3,5., ,themarrangement being such that the-anglegof caclicrafter 3 illimay,V be., suitably variedP byfrapa., propr-late .positioning offthebolt ,3.2, .and thezsecm f will; be'u seenthatA eachV unit, asibest shown in Figure -l0,` wherein theparts correspond` to` the form shown; in Figurel except aslhereinafter noted;` comprises a pair of spaced-.upright posts .in paralleltions 30 and 3l connected by suitably selected bolt holes in accordance with the angle of rafters 22.

In the assembly of the device, adjacent sections are positioned, as shown in Figure 1, and unless the roof section is an integral continuation of the rafters as in Figures 10 and 11, roof truss means, such as indicated at 40, may be connected between the 'pivot points 34 at the extremities of the rafters. In Figure 1, a simple arcuate roof truss is shown, but various alternative types of roof truss may be utilized, as disclosed in Figures 13, 14 and 15. Figure 13 discloses an arcuate roof truss 4|, provided with a transverse beam 42 and angled reinforcing members 43. Figure 14 cliscloses a simple angle truss 44, while Figure 15 shows an angle truss 45 having a horizontal beam 46 and reinforcing members 41 associated therewith.

A further modification is disclosed in Figure 11, wherein roof sections 48 are disclosed provided with downwardly depending flanges 45, adapted to be secured in abuttingv relation, as by means of a bolt and nut 50.V Y

Referring now to the floor sections in detail, it will' be seen that they are comprised of transversely extending rods adapted to be spaced in parallel alignment and covered with floor boards 52. The inner extremities of the rods are provided with onset por-tions 53 adapted to go inside of standards 54 which standards are rigidly secured, as by welding, to the base sections 55 of the post assemblies 2|. Longitudinally extending rods 56 positioned between the standards 54 and the posts 2|, are welded to the oifset portions 53, which are adapted to be held in related assembly, as by means of pivotally connected connecting members 51, secured to longitudinally extending pivots 58 at the upper extremities of upright portions 54, and to pivots 59 carried by the post sections 2|. The arrangement is such tions, which may be readily folded and subsequently moved to assembled position, and connected in related assembly to form a building of any desired size or general configuration, in accordance with the particular units involved. It will also be seen that the relative angle of inclination of the roof may be varied as desired, and that the floor may be suitably fitted to accommodate any desired size of building, the oor being relatively flexible with relation to the ground level, in such manner that it may rise or fall with the settling of the ground Without disaligning the side walls of the building. It will further be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be `made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to' be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: I

1. In a prefabricated building unit, a pair of uprights forming a pair of laterally spaced side walls, said uprights having horizontal' bases at their lower ends, an individual floor section associated with each side wall and extending laterally inwardly from said side walls, means separably securing the laterally inward ends of the floor sections together, connecting means pivoting the laterally outward ends of said floor sections to said uprights to swing relative thereto on horizontal axes extending longitudinallyof the side walls, said connecting means comprising bars extending transversely beneath the floor that the assembly maybe folded into the position e shown in Figure 2, and unfolded from this position, in either case to assume the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, and subsequent to arrangement in such posi-tions, linear movement ofthe oor will be permitted upon the upright members 54, in order to accommodate variations in the supporting surface of the device, whereby the fioor may raise or lower in accordance with settling of the ground, Ywithout disrupting the alignment of the side walls.

Figure 9 discloses a method of connecting the floor sections, each floor section being provided with a plate'BD, suitably secured, as by screws 6|, to the outermost floor board 52, a bolt hole being provided for the accommodation of a bolt 62, which is adapted to secure each tongue to the outermost board of the opposite oor section. Y Figure 8 discloses a means of 'connecting rafters and braces during assembly until cross-braces 25 are positioned, and takesthe form of flanges 10 on special brace members 251 apertured to accommodate a bolt 1|. The bolt also passes through suitable apertures in the upper extremities of the members 22 and 23, being secured in position by relatively thin nuts 12 on opposite sides thereof, the rafter being secured exteriorly of one of the nuts 12, and the assemblies secured in'related assembly, as by means of additional nuts 15, positioned exteriorly of the flanges 10.

Now, from the foregoing, it will be seen that `there is herein provided an improved collapsible building, characterized by a plurality of secsections having offset outer ends positioned over the bases of the uprights, rods secured to said offset ends and extending along the bases, standards rising from said` bases inwardly of Vsaid uprights between which said bars are positioned,`

and links extending between said standards and said uprights and overlying said rods confining said rods in the space between the uprights and standards.

2. In a prefabricated building unit, a pair of laterally spaced side walls each comprising an upright having a base on the lower end thereof, a floor extending transversely betwen said side walls consisting of a pair of individual floor sections each having an outward end, standards on the upright bases inwardly of said uprights, means separably connecting the inward ends of said floor sections together, means pivotally connecting the outward end of the door sections to said sidewalls comprising transversely extending bars beneath each of the oor sections having offset outward ends positioned between adjacent standards, rods extending along said side- Walls and secured to said oifset ends, and links extending between the standards andthe uprights and overlying said rods confining said rods in the space between the uprights and standards, said links being pivoted at opposite ends to said uprights and said standards.

' 3. In a prefabricated building unit, a sidewall comprising a base, an upright fixed to rise from' end of said standard and at the opposite end to said upright, a rod extending longitudinally cf the sidewall and positioned between said link and said base and confined between said standard and said upright, a iioor section extending away from said sidewall, a bar extending transversely beneath the floor section, the end of said bar adjacent to said upright having an offset terminal secured to said rod whereby said floor section can swing freely on an axis paralled to said base, standard, upright, said rafter, side wall, and floor section being foldable into superimposed relation.

4. In a prefabricated building unit, a side wall comprising a pair of spaced uprights, a horizontal base connected to and extending between the lower ends of said uprights, a pair of spaced standards rising from said base inwardly of said uprights, links separably connected to and extending between the uprights and the standards and spaced upwardly from said base,v a floor section having a laterally outward edge positioned along said base, at least one bar extending across said oor section having an offset end projecting beyond the laterally outward edge of the :door section, said offset end being positioned be- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 128,542 Guthrie July 2, 1872 2,350,904 King June 6, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 149,689 Great Britain 1921 438,911 Great Britain 1935 554,250' Great Britain 1943 

